Robert Alvar Anderson, 90, of Newport, Rhode Island, passed away peacefully on June 6, 2026, at the same hospital where he was born on August 26, 1935, to the late M. Dorothy (Sullivan) Anderson and Alvar G. Anderson.
Bob was a lifelong resident of Aquidneck Island and a proud graduate of De La Salle Academy. During his high school years, his academic achievements earned him membership in the Rhode Island Honor Society. Following his graduation in 1954, he enlisted in the United States Navy, where he completed the training and coursework necessary to become a hospital corpsman.
He was stationed with the 1st Battalion at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California and honorably served four years of active duty from 1954 to 1958. Upon returning home, Bob continued his service in the Naval Reserve until receiving his honorable discharge in 1962.
Following his military service, Bob devoted many years to the Middletown Public Schools, where he worked as a custodian until his retirement in 1993.
Bob possessed a deep knowledge of American and world history, a mischievous sense of humor, and a genuinely kind heart. He was a loyal supporter of numerous charitable organizations, including Disabled American Veterans, the American Red Cross, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, the Potter League for Animals, and other animal welfare organizations.
He was predeceased by his parents; his aunts and uncles; several cousins; and his beloved cats, Bingo, Eric-the-Red, and Morris.
He is survived by his American cousins, Mary Jane Fludder Tolpa, Lynda Morris Childress, Lawrence Bernard Sullivan, and Patricia Sullivan Murphy, as well as his Swedish cousins, Ulla, Margita, Bjorn, and Lars Ejvind.
Bob will be remembered for his intelligence, generosity, patriotism, and enduring love of history, family, and animals.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held Thursday, June 11, 2026 at 10:00 am, St. Mary’s Church, Newport. Burial with Military Honors, St. Columba Cemetery, Middletown.
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